The present device relates generally to the field of transportable containers used in plant germination, and more specifically, to a booklet that can easily store and transport plant matter for future germination and transplantation. The booklet also can be used for marketing or instructional purposes.
It is usually customary to offer flowers, trees or other plants for birthdays, holidays or other occasions. Seeds, bulbs or other types of spouts may be given in lieu of a plant, which give the added benefit of allowing the recipient to plant and observe the growth of the plant or flowers from the beginning. Seeds and bulbs are typically stored and transported in packets or pouches. In order to germinate, the sprouts must be planted in soil and watered. Thus, germination from the packets or pouches alone is not obtainable. Another disadvantage of seeds or bulbs is that the packets or pouches are not easily transportable. For example, sending seeds in a seed packet via regular mail to a recipient can easily damage the seeds by crushing them in the mail or through exposure to harsh weather conditions. Likewise, full grown plants are not easily transportable. Sending a plant by regular mail can get very messy with the soil spilling out of the container holding the plant. Thus, whole plants or seed packets are not easily transportable.
In U.S. Pat. No. 4,418,497 to Mastriano, a combination greeting card, ornament and seed germination receptacle is disclosed. The container in Mastriano provides for the mailing of a seed germination packet, but the packet needs to have a relatively low profile to be mailed in an envelope. Having a low profile limits the types of plant life that can be transported. For example, some plant life requires germination in a deeper soil which would not be possible in a container with a low profile as shown in Mastriano. In addition, Mastriano does not allow the transplantation of the germinated seeds. Mastriano illustrates a receptacle, in the form of an ornament, for holding a seed germination packet that is bonded by an adhesive to the receptacle. In order to transplant the seed germination packet, the ornament must be dismantled or destroyed thereby destroying the greeting portion of the receptacle. In addition, the packet can not be transplanted easily because it is bonded to the receptacle. If the seed germination packet was not bonded to the receptacle, the seeds would be damaged in the mail because the packet would be tossed around in the envelope during shipping.
French patent number FR 2 693 348 (and corresponding International Publication number WO 94/00975) discloses a postcard with a seed container, where the seed container is for germinating seeds. Again, the seed container is limited to the depth of germination that is available. The seed container is not preferred to be very deep to allow mailing of the seed container. If a deeper seed container is used, the seed container must have a corresponding larger surface area compared to its depth to allow absorption of water. Thus, a deeper container can not be used in FR 2 693 348 unless the overall container is significantly larger than the depth of the container. This relationship means that the overall size of the container as taught by FR 2 693 348 would be too bulky to transport through the mail if a deep tray was used.
Furthermore, the relatively small size and shallow depth of the seed container as taught by FR 2 693 348 is such that the contents of the seed container must be watered relatively frequently. Thus, the degree of flexibility for use as a marketing or advertising tool is limited. Lastly, the overall container is unstable, and not able to withstand wind, if for example placed on a window ledge or area of high traffic. The card extends from the seed container portion, substantially parallel to the upper surface of the container and can cause the container to become unbalanced due to a moment created about the edge of the container. The xe2x80x9ccenter of gravityxe2x80x9d of the extending portion of the container in FR 2 693 348 has a relatively large moment arm (xc2xd the length of the card portion) with respect to the edge of the container. This moment arm creates a problem wherein the seed container tilts unnecessarily, thereby creating an increased possibility for spillage.
In addition, the germination in the FR 2 693 348 can not be easily transplanted. The container shown in FR 2 693 348 has an integrally molded seed receptacle and postcard backing, which extends from the seed receptacle. The integral nature of the formation of the card makes transplanting the seed container impossible. The card must be destroyed in order for the plant to be transplanted in another container or the ground.
Current commercially available product that provides greeting cards embedded with seeds requires that the entire card be planted. This type of container prohibits the use of the information or marketing material provided on the card by requiring that the card be destroyed.
Thus, there remains a need in the art for a transportable plant container that protects the contents of the plant matter and allows the future germination to be transplanted without destroying the container that may have some greeting information or marketing material. In addition, a need exists to have a container that is easily transportable, for example in regular mail, without that is not limited to a certain depth of the seed container.
The present invention avoids many of the disadvantages of previous germination and transplantation devices. A booklet for use in germination and transplantation includes a base having a first cover and a second cover. The first cover is for containing indicia and coupled to the second cover. The second cover defines an insert portion such that the insert portion encompasses a majority of the second cover. A tray is disposed in the insert portion of the second cover. The tray further includes plant material. A lid may be sealed to the tray for delayed germination and secure transport of the plant material.
The easily transplantable delayed germination device of the present invention comprises a molded polymer tray. The tray is attached to a substrate, which may be made of paper or another material, and a cover for the tray is formed either by a portion of the substrate or by a separate piece of material. Within the space created by the molded polymer tray and the cover of the tray, are flower or other plant seeds. The seeds are placed in the tray with a time-release fertilizer and a water-absorbing medium, such as polyacrylamide. The water-absorbing medium absorbs the water that is introduced to the tray, but allows the seeds to draw the water that is needed for germination and growth, and the fertilizer provides the necessary nutrients for growth. The contents of the tray (seeds, water absorbent medium and fertilizer) can be held into the tray by way of a mesh-like material. The mesh may be attached such that it is attached around the edge of the tray, and when the cover of the tray is removed, the mesh material remains on top of the contents of the tray. The contents of the tray are watered regularly and eventually the seeds germinate and grow. Eventually, one may trim the plants as needed and/or transplant the sprouted plants into soil.
In addition, the booklet can have multiple trays that are removable for easy transplantation into a pot or garden. This multiple mini-tray design allows the use of diffent plant matter to be used in the same booklet. The tray can further include an inlet port for water and a water chamber for released germination. Learning material can be included in the booklet, as well as decorative or marketing material. The information in the booklet can be in the form of print, electronic display, stained glass or any other format.